Hexavalent chromium

• Hexavalent chromium is used to passivate electro zinc plating. Electro zinc is the most common corrosion resistant plating used on steel hardware.
• Hex Chrome is also used to enhance the corrosion resistance of mechanical zinc plating processes like Dacromet.
• Hex chrome will self repair if scratched.
• Trivalent chromium is not banned and can also be used to passivate electro zinc plating.
• Trivalent chrome does not self repair if scratched. Applying a wax finish can help.
  
  Lead

• Lead is used as an alloying element in metal to improve machineability.
• Some lead is allowed for machineability:
  - Steel with up to .035% lead by weight
  - Copper containing up to 4% lead by weight
  - Aluminum containing up to 0.4% lead by weight
• Lead is also allowed in solder.
  
  Mercury

• Mercury is banned except for some light bulb applications.
  
  Cadmium

• The primary use of cadmium in hardware is for corrosion resistant plating.
• Cadmium is no longer a common plating for commercial hardware.
• Cad plating is still used for some military hardware applications.
• The directive permits cadmium plating for electrical contacts.
  
  Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB)

• PBB is a flame retardant banned by the directive.
  
  Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE)

• PBDE is a flame retardant banned by the directive.